Lighting issues
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4wd Low
Joined: Dec 2022
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Lighting issues
Hi I have an 02 f350 7.3 srwthis truck has been used and abused. It's currently a plow truck that the bed rotted off and they put a 2x6 flatbed on and has a salter mounted on it.The problems he's having is with All of the lights. I got everything working in the front with the truck and the plow lights. Corroded sockets got replaced with new. Grounds that were bad got repaired, and others were replaced entirely.Now what were dealing with is the rear. Only have parking lights on the right side and absolutely nothing on the driver side.and replacing existing lights with 3 wire light.Can anyone tell me what color wires are for what?On the driver side I have a black, brown, red, white, and green with an orange tracer. Only have power on one of them. When checking with a test light with the blinker on, none of them have power.. same with brake, nobody's home.Help!
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From: Virginia
I recommend you replace a lot of wiring with a trailer ribbon wire. The original Ford color for the taillights and license light is Brown. This is a simple one wire circuit and should be spliced and lead to each light and the license light.
The original Ford wire for the left turn/stop was lightgreen with a orange stripe. The original Ford wire the right turn/stop was orange/lightblue. The original reverse light wire was black/pink.
A lot of the wire colors you listed do not seem too be original factory wire colors. I would trace the wiring to the front and try to find where they changed the colors of the wires, that might be the problem spot.
I will attach a diagram of the rear lights.
The original Ford wire for the left turn/stop was lightgreen with a orange stripe. The original Ford wire the right turn/stop was orange/lightblue. The original reverse light wire was black/pink.
A lot of the wire colors you listed do not seem too be original factory wire colors. I would trace the wiring to the front and try to find where they changed the colors of the wires, that might be the problem spot.
I will attach a diagram of the rear lights.
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
Ok so I've located the trucks original wires and colors.
Yes brown is parking lights
Green with orange tracer is left turn
Orange with blue tracer is right turn
Black with pink tracer is reverse.
There is a Green wire separate, that is the brake.
How do I wire the new lights so the brake light works??
The new lights are only 3 wire.
Green= parking lights
Black= reverse
Red= stop and turn
The light gets ground from a stud.
When I try the GREEN brake light from the truck to either the red or green on the new light I lose the turn signals.
What am I doing wrong?
What is the proper procedure?
Yes brown is parking lights
Green with orange tracer is left turn
Orange with blue tracer is right turn
Black with pink tracer is reverse.
There is a Green wire separate, that is the brake.
How do I wire the new lights so the brake light works??
The new lights are only 3 wire.
Green= parking lights
Black= reverse
Red= stop and turn
The light gets ground from a stud.
When I try the GREEN brake light from the truck to either the red or green on the new light I lose the turn signals.
What am I doing wrong?
What is the proper procedure?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,965
Likes: 2,725
From: Virginia
Forget the brake only wire. When you are testing your turn wires, have someone step on the brake. The turn wires should both turn on a solid 12v if the turnsignal switch is in the middle. If you move the turnsignal switch right or left, while still stepping on the brake pedal, either light should start blinking while the other light still stays on solid. All this magic is done in the turnsignal switch. The only other way to do it is European style, with rear amber turns and separate rear red brakes. Your truck is not set up for that though.
So to review, you should have one wire (brown) that is the tailight wire. It goes to both lights and comes on with the headlights. Make sure you use the less bright filament in the bulb for this.
The other wire you are calling the turn wire, IS the brake wire also.
And if you are using reverse lights, that is also a simple one wire circuit that goes to both sides like the taillight wires.
So to review, you should have one wire (brown) that is the tailight wire. It goes to both lights and comes on with the headlights. Make sure you use the less bright filament in the bulb for this.
The other wire you are calling the turn wire, IS the brake wire also.
And if you are using reverse lights, that is also a simple one wire circuit that goes to both sides like the taillight wires.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,965
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From: Virginia
You need to check the brake switch under the dash. It used to be a lightgreen wire in the old days. The rear wiring has the same colors as the older trucks, so it's probably the same. The wire entering the brake switch should be hot all the time. Hopefully you just have a fuse blown. The other side of the switch should have power when you press the pedal. This wire leads up in the steering column to the turnsignal switch where the magic occurs. The turnsignal switch mixes the brake pedal signal and the signal from the turnsignal flasher together and directs the proper signal to the proper light in the rear, depending on where you have the turn lever.
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Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
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Likes: 2,725
From: Virginia
Look at fuse #18, #34, and #27 in the underdash fuse box. The wires to the brake switch are lightgreen with a red stripe.
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Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 10
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Ok I will look into that. I've verified all the fuses in the block are good. And like I said I only have brake signal on that one green wire.
Neither turn signal wire will give me a brake at this point
Neither turn signal wire will give me a brake at this point
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